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Tory points to his record as a volunteer, efforts 'to champion this city'

Mayoral candidate Olivia Chow says John Tory has failed to have the city's back on various occasions, suggesting he has tried to "hurt" Toronto with prior pledges and statements.

Mayoral candidate Olivia Chow has sharpened her attacks on rival John Tory in recent days. (CBC)

"The choice is clear in this election: You will either elect a mayor that would stand up for the city or a mayor that would say anything to get elected, or when given a chance choose to hurt the city instead," Chow said while speaking with reporters on Sunday.

Chow said that when Tory served as leader of Ontario's Progressive Conservatives he vowed to move jobs outside Toronto and suggested a provincial budget was too "Toronto-centric."

Chow said Tory "said nothing" during the recent provincial election last spring, while she spoke out in favour of seeing the provincial government help the TTC with its operating budget.

"When he had a chance, [he] decided to remain silent," she said.

John Tory campaigns at Toronto's Word on the Street festival on Sunday. (CBC)

Tory was out campaigning Sunday at Toronto's Word on the Street festival. Asked for his reaction to Chow's attacks, Tory pointed to his record as a volunteer.

"People who know me — people who know of my track record, especially as a volunteer — know that I have been a champion for Toronto in every respect for many years as a volunteer," he said.

"And I think that what people might want to look at, you know, more closely is what you do when you're a volunteer, an individual citizen. And I've given hours and weeks and months of my time to champion this city and all the people who live in it and I will continue to do that as the mayor. And so I think that's how you measure what people are all about."

Chow and Tory are two of the most high-profile candidates running for mayor of Toronto. They have faced off in debates on several occasions recently, though neither has yet had a chance to debate Doug Ford — though all three are expected to participate in a debate together on Tuesday.